An MQ-1 Predator drone, with a Hellfire missile slung under each wing.
Battleland noted with interest earlier this week last Friday’s $412 million contract announcement to the drone drivers over at Battlespace. It caught our eye, given that Battlespace had been awarded a $950 million contract for similar work a month earlier.
CONTRACTS
AIR FORCE
Battlespace Flight Services L.L.C., Arlington, Va., (FA4890-07-C-0006, P00120) is being awarded a $412,084,746 contract modification to provide MQ-1 O-level operation and maintenance support services. The location of the performance is Creech Air Force Base and deployed sites worldwide. Work is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2013. The contracting activity is AMIC/PKCA, Langley Air Force Base, Va.
We noted that $412 million seemed like a lot of money for a contract set to end by Feb. 1. “It suggests a mismatch between what the Air Force expected to pay and what it – i.e., we – are ultimately going to spend,” we solemnly reported.
Earlier this week, the Pentagon issued the following correction, apparently but not explicitly to that $412 million announcement.
CORRECTION
AIR FORCE
Battlespace Flight Services L.L.C., Arlington, Va., (FA4890-07-C-0006, P00120) is being awarded a $7,042,809 contract modification to continue to provide MQ-1 O-level Operation and Maintenance Support Services. The location of the performance is Creech Air Force Base and deployed sites worldwide. The contract modification is for the exercise of the first option month for the period of Jan. 1 through 31, 2013. The contracting activity is AMIC/PKCA, Langley Air Force Base, Va.
Quite a difference: $7 million is less than 2% of $412 million.
A coupla things bother Battleland:
— How come the correction doesn’t specify what is being corrected? For all the reader knows, the original announcement erroneously specified Nellis Air Force Base instead of Creech.
— Why do such errors keep happening? And what do they say about the ones we – and the government, apparently – fail to catch?